Containers for fluid under pressure, such as fire extinguishers

ABSTRACT

A fluid container adapted to contain fluid under pressure, has a discharge outlet normally closed by a frangible diaphragm which is supported by a member held in a position at which it prevents bursting of the diaphragm by pressure within the container. A rotary member is coupled to the diaphragm-supporting member, and means are provided for effecting selective rotation of the rotary member, to free the diaphragm supporting member to move away from the supporting position whereby the diaphragm is no longer supported against bursting.

ilnited @tates Fatent Hebblethwaite [54] conrsrmans roe FLUKE) UNDER reassess, seen A rim sxrmenrsnans [72] Inventor: Peter B. Hebblethweite, Ashford, Middlesex, England [73] Assignee: Graviner (Colnbroolr) Limited, London,

England [22] Filed: Feb. 5, 11970 [2]] Appl. No.1 8,984

[30] Foreign Application Priority fieta Feb. 5, 1969 Great Britain ..6,l12/69 [52] US. Cl. .220/47, 220/89 A, 137/69, 169/31 [51] int. C1 365:1 43/02 [58] Fieid oih ..220/47,89A;169/l9,31,20, 169/21; 137/69; 251/74, 212, 78

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,874,356 8/1932 Rowley 137/69 2,384,342 9/1945 Rider ..l69/19 3,474,809 10/1969 Gordon 3,209,937 10/1965 Hirst et a1. ..l37/69 X 2,054,563 9/1936 Hansen ..251/74 X 3,329,396 7/1967 Heaton et a1. ..251/212 3,494,3 70 2/1970 Wahl et a1 ..220/47 X Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles Assistant Examiner-John .1. Love Attorney-Wolfe, Hubbard, Leydig, Voit & Osann [5 7] AEBSTRACT A fluid container adapted to contain fluid under pressure, has

1 a discharge outlet normally closed by a frangible diaphragm which is supported by a member held in a position at which it prevents bursting of the diaphragm by pressure within the container. A rotary member is coupled to the diaphragm-supporting member, and means are provided for effecting selective rotation of the rotary member, to free the diaphragm supporting member to move away from the supporting position whereby the diaphragm is no longer supported against burstmg.

2 Claims, 2 Erawing Figures PATENTEUHARYIBYZ 109- snmzurvz" INVENTOR'" ATTORNEY CONTAINERS FOR FLUID UNDER PRESSURE, SUCH AS FIRE EXTINGUKSHIERS This invention relates to fluid containers. The invention is particularly applicable to fire extinguishers but can be used with containers of fluids for other purposes.

According to the invention there is provided a fluid container adapted to contain fluid under pressure, said container having a discharge outlet normally closed by a frangible diaphragm which is supported by a member held in a position at which it prevents bursting of the diaphragm by pressure within the container, a rotary member coupled to said diaphragm-supporting member, and means for effecting selective rotation of said rotary member, said rotation freeing said diaphragm-supporting member to move away from said position whereby said diaphragm is no longer supported against bursting.

The invention also provides a fluid container which in use contains pressurized liquid or powder, said container having a discharge outlet normally closed by a frangible diaphragm, a member abutting said diaphragm and thereby preventing bursting of said diaphragm by pressure within the container, a catch holding said member in the diaphragm-abutting position, and dual-operated means for operating said catch to release said member from its diaphragm-abutting position whereby pressure within said container can burst the unsupported diaphragm, said dual-operated means being operated either manually or by ignition of an electrically ignitable explosive charge.

One construction of fire extinguisher in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a part sectional side elevation of the extinguisher while FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line II-II of FIG. 1.

The extinguishant contained in the extinguisher may be a liquid, which may or may not vaporize when discharged, or may be a powder which flows, the extinguisher also containing a pressurized gas which serves as propellant for the extinguishant.

The principal components of the extinguisher are a container for the extinguishant and pressurizing gas and an operating head 11 which has a discharge outlet 12. The release of the extinguishant is normally prevented by a diaphragm 13. A seal 14 is provided between a screwed-insert portion 13a of the diaphragm l3 and the head ill. The diaphragm 13 is normally supported against the internal pressure in container 10 by a hinged diaphragm support 15 pivotally mounted on the head lll by a pivot pin 16 and is held in position by a retaining pawl 17 which is pivotally mounted on the head 11 by a pivot pin 18.

To release the contents of container 10 the retaining pawl i7 is pivoted away from the diaphragm support 15. Because the diaphragm 13 is then no longer supported it ruptures under the internal pressure of container 10. The hinged support I5 is pivoted away leaving the container contents free to flow through the interior of the operating head 11 and out through the fluid outlet 12. When discharge is complete the diaphragm support 15 returns to its original position under the action of a return spring 19, the diaphragm support thereby functioning as a nonreturn valve.

A discharge indicator 20, normally retained in position by a circlip 21, is driven into the base of the operating head and retained so that its pin 20a projects externally from the operat' ing head II thereby indicating that the extinguisher has been operated.

The pivoting of the retaining pawl 17 away from the diaphragms support 15 if effected by rotation of an operating ring 22 which has a slot 22a therein in which fits the head 17a of the retaining pawl 17, the longitudinal axis of the slot 22a being eccentric to the axis of rotation of the ring 22 so that rotation of the ring 22 from its normal position causes the desired pivoting of the retaining pawl 17.

Any desired method of causing rotation of the operating ring 22 may be employed. The present construction employs two alternative methods which will be described by way of example, but should not be regarded as limiting. The first method is by means of tension on one end (not shown) of a flexible cable 23 whose other end terminates in a trunnion 24 which engages in a further slot 22b in the operating ring 22. Sufficient tension on the cable 23 overcomes the force of a coil spring 25 and causes rotation of the ring 22 to effect the desired movement of the pawl 117. The second method of operation shown is by means of a piston 26 which is in contact with the operating ring 22 and is propelled to cause rotation of the ring 22 by the firing of an explosive cartridge 27 which is ignited by closure of an electrical firing circuit. The combustion products pass through the opening 28a in a washer 28 (which prevents the piston 26 damaging the cartridge 27 if the extinguisher is subjected to vibration) to apply pressure to the end of the piston 26 causing it to be propelled and thereby rotate the operating ring 23.

As already mentioned it will be appreciated that many other ways of effecting rotation of the operating ring may be employed. For example, fluid in a closed circuit may be used to apply pressure to the piston by movement of an operating plunger at another part of the circuit. Another possible method is to puncture a storage capsule containing pressurized gas to apply pressure to the piston.

I claim:

1. In a container for fluid under pressure, said container having a normally closed discharge outlet,

a frangible diaphragm extending across said discharge outlet for closing the outlet,

a diaphragm-supporting member abutting said diaphragm for preventing bursting of the diaphragm by pressure within the container,

a rotary member coupled to said diaphragm-supporting member, said rotary member having a slot therein whose axis is eccentric relative to the axis of rotation of said rotary member,

a catch pivotably mounted on said container by a pivot, an end of said catch remote from said pivot engaging in said slot in said rotary member,

means for effecting selective rotation of said rotary member, said catch in a first position engaging said diaphragm-supporting member to retain the latter in the diaphragm-supporting position, said catch being pivotable to a second position by rotation of said rotary member as a result of the eccentricity of said slot in which the end of said catch engages, said diaphragm-supporting member being released from supporting said diaphragm when said catch is in said second position whereby said diaphragm is no longer supported against bursting by pressure within the container.

2. In a fluid container for containing pressurized liquid or powder, said container having a normally closed discharge outlet,

a frangible diaphragm extending across said discharge outlet for closing the outlet,

a member pivotally mounted on the container and adapted to abut said diaphragm for preventing bursting of said diaphragm by pressure within the container,

a catch engaging said member for holding said member in the diaphragm-abutting position,

an electrically ignitable explosive charge, ignition of said charge operating said catch to release said member from its diaphragm-abutting position whereby pressure within said container can burst the unsupported diaphragm, said catch also being operable manually to release said member,

a rotary member having a slot therein, an axis of said slot being eccentric relative to the axis of rotation of said rotary member, and

means for effecting rotation of said rotary member, said catch being pivotably mounted on said container by a pivot and an end of said catch remote from said pivot engaging in said slot, rotation of the rotary member causing pivoting of said catch to release said diaphragm-shutting member. 

1. In a container for fluid under pressure, said container having a normally closed discharge outlet, a frangible diaphragm extending across said discharge outlet for closing the outlet, a diaphragm-supporting member abutting said diaphragm for preventing bursting of the diaphragm by pressure within the container, a rotary member coupled to said diaphragm-supporting member, said rotary member having a slot therein whose axis is eccentric relative to the axis of rotation of said rotary member, a catch pivotably mounted on said container by a pivot, an end of said catch remote from said pivot engaging in said slot in said rotary member, means for effecting selective rotation of said rotary member, said catch in a first position engaging said diaphragmsupporting member to retain the latter in the diaphragmsupporting position, said catch being pivotable to a second position by rotation of said rotary member as a result of the eccentricity of said slot in which the end of said catch engages, said diaphragm-supporting member being released from supporting said diaphragm when said catch is in said second position whereby said diaphragm is no longer supported against bursting by pressure within the container.
 2. In a fluid container For containing pressurized liquid or powder, said container having a normally closed discharge outlet, a frangible diaphragm extending across said discharge outlet for closing the outlet, a member pivotally mounted on the container and adapted to abut said diaphragm for preventing bursting of said diaphragm by pressure within the container, a catch engaging said member for holding said member in the diaphragm-abutting position, an electrically ignitable explosive charge, ignition of said charge operating said catch to release said member from its diaphragm-abutting position whereby pressure within said container can burst the unsupported diaphragm, said catch also being operable manually to release said member, a rotary member having a slot therein, an axis of said slot being eccentric relative to the axis of rotation of said rotary member, and means for effecting rotation of said rotary member, said catch being pivotably mounted on said container by a pivot and an end of said catch remote from said pivot engaging in said slot, rotation of the rotary member causing pivoting of said catch to release said diaphragm-abutting member. 